Past and present reminisces
Sep. 11th, 2011 06:05 pmI've already written about 9/11 several times over.
September 11, 2003.
September 11, 2004.
September 11, 2006.
September 11, 2007.
September 11, 2010.
This morning I was very glad to spend some time at church, my spiritual home, for the special peace service. Being part of my church community really helped me get through those first days after 9/11.
My congregation had already planned a retreat weekend at the nature center up in Carroll County for the weekend of the 15th and the 16th. So the immediate question was: Do we still do this, or cancel and stay home? The co-ministers and other leaders quickly came to the consensus that we should hold the gathering as planned, in the hope that it would be healing to those who chose to participate. It was a tiny bit of relief to drag myself away from the TV set and spend time with like-minded friends, who were all worried about the implications of the attacks for our hopes for a more just and peaceful society.
Right around that time -- Friday, I think, my birthday -- the Post had published that some of the hijackers had stayed in cheap motels around here and had worked out at the local Gold's Gym and shopped and bought money orders at the Giant supermarket right here in the town where I live. Another reason why I wanted to get out of town that weekend.
Much talking was done at the retreat. My friend T.H. brought an inkle loom, because she had recently taken a weaving class. It was the first time I'd ever seen an inkle loom. We took turns weaving a multicolored stole for our co-ministers. It felt so satisfying to beat the weft with the shuttle. Pound, pound, pound.
Back home on Sunday night, I wrapped up the weekend by going to an interfaith candlelight vigil on the shores of my neighborhood lake. My co-ministers participated by leading people in a folk song: "Give light and people will find the way...." It was a beautiful vigil service.
(One year later, my town held another commemoration in the park, but the American Legion took over the program and made it into a flag-waving "God Bless the USA" type of production that made us UUs squirm a bit.)
Today I hold everyone who was touched by the events of 9/11 in my heart. I think of my birthday buddy and her family, who lost a whole family of friends on the plane that went into the Pentagon. I think of my friend Judy's good friend Meg, one of the other bridesmaids when Judy got married in 1997. Meg's husband worked in the WTC and died there. I think how lucky![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lesliepear was to report to jury duty in New Jersey instead of going to work across the street from the trade center. And today I had a lump in my throat when I saw one of the teenagers I shepherded to NYC earlier this year and realized that when he was 5 years old, two girls in the neighborhood playgroup, ages 8 and 3, were killed. Imagine trying to explain that....
September 11, 2003.
September 11, 2004.
September 11, 2006.
September 11, 2007.
September 11, 2010.
This morning I was very glad to spend some time at church, my spiritual home, for the special peace service. Being part of my church community really helped me get through those first days after 9/11.
My congregation had already planned a retreat weekend at the nature center up in Carroll County for the weekend of the 15th and the 16th. So the immediate question was: Do we still do this, or cancel and stay home? The co-ministers and other leaders quickly came to the consensus that we should hold the gathering as planned, in the hope that it would be healing to those who chose to participate. It was a tiny bit of relief to drag myself away from the TV set and spend time with like-minded friends, who were all worried about the implications of the attacks for our hopes for a more just and peaceful society.
Right around that time -- Friday, I think, my birthday -- the Post had published that some of the hijackers had stayed in cheap motels around here and had worked out at the local Gold's Gym and shopped and bought money orders at the Giant supermarket right here in the town where I live. Another reason why I wanted to get out of town that weekend.
Much talking was done at the retreat. My friend T.H. brought an inkle loom, because she had recently taken a weaving class. It was the first time I'd ever seen an inkle loom. We took turns weaving a multicolored stole for our co-ministers. It felt so satisfying to beat the weft with the shuttle. Pound, pound, pound.
Back home on Sunday night, I wrapped up the weekend by going to an interfaith candlelight vigil on the shores of my neighborhood lake. My co-ministers participated by leading people in a folk song: "Give light and people will find the way...." It was a beautiful vigil service.
(One year later, my town held another commemoration in the park, but the American Legion took over the program and made it into a flag-waving "God Bless the USA" type of production that made us UUs squirm a bit.)
Today I hold everyone who was touched by the events of 9/11 in my heart. I think of my birthday buddy and her family, who lost a whole family of friends on the plane that went into the Pentagon. I think of my friend Judy's good friend Meg, one of the other bridesmaids when Judy got married in 1997. Meg's husband worked in the WTC and died there. I think how lucky
lesliepear was to report to jury duty in New Jersey instead of going to work across the street from the trade center. And today I had a lump in my throat when I saw one of the teenagers I shepherded to NYC earlier this year and realized that when he was 5 years old, two girls in the neighborhood playgroup, ages 8 and 3, were killed. Imagine trying to explain that....
